


Found Family Trope

by astromirage



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Misunderstandings, Post-Canon, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko being bad at feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29374575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astromirage/pseuds/astromirage
Summary: The Gaang begins calling Iroh Uncle, Zuko tries to make sense of why he feels upset.
Kudos: 35





	Found Family Trope

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably going to be my last ATLA fic. I'm just not very interested in the show/fandom for some reason, I'm more focused on tsukkiyama and narumitsu if you're interested in that stuff!

Zuko smiles as his friends settle around his dining table, they chat with each other excitedly as food is set down around them. The palace chefs leave the room after Zuko thanks them, as Zuko opens his mouth to thank his friends for making it for the day, the door slams open to reveal Iroh holding a tray of tea. 

Zuko's eye softens from the tense gaze he was holding, "Uncle." He greets warmly. 

However it's drowned out by Team Avatar yelling an enthusiastic "Uncle Iroh!" in unison. 

His smile falters and his eyebrow narrows in an unknown insecurity. 

Zuko doesn't feel like talking to anyone anymore. 

Toph and Katara follow the running Aang out to the garden while Sokka walks beside Iroh, talking about who knows what. Zuko stays quiet and stares at the floor, eye tracking where each tile ends and begins. 

He finds his way to a tree and sits underneath it, eye shifting to the peaceful pond in the middle of the garden. His moment of peace is interrupted when someone splashes into the pond, scaring the sleeping turtleducks. Zuko jumps back involuntarily but he regains himself and rushes over to the pond, the turtleducks waddling into Zuko's arms. 

Zuko stands and looks down at Toph, who had presumably fallen into the pond. 

"Sorry about that Sparky." Toph laughs, getting up and letting Katara waterbend the moisture from her clothing. 

Zuko stays silent and places each turtleduck into the pond gently and one by one. He takes a deep breath and tries to ensure his scowl isn't presenting on his face. 

Zuko already wanted to go to sleep. In the distance he can hear his friends call HIS uncle "Uncle Iroh". He turns from the pond and returns into the palace. 

Sokka quirks an eyebrow as he watches Zuko retreat into the palace. He figures he just has to pee, and will be right out. 

Zuko sits on the edge of his bed, a finger stuck in his mouth as he chews on his fingernail anxiously. 

'They're stealing him away from you' a voice shouts from inside his head. 

'They're taking your family' 

'They're taking Iroh from you' 

Zuko shakes his head and gets up, wiping his wet thumb on his opposing sleeve. He hears loud voices and laughs erupt from the halls leading to the kitchen. He follows them to see Uncle Iroh and his friends gathered in the kitchen while he makes tea, the group fascinated by his skill. 

"Zuko! Uncle Iroh is teaching us how to make tea!" Aang cheers, followed by similar exclamations from the rest of them. 

"Stop calling him that." Zuko mumbles, causing the room to fall chillingly silent. 

"What?" Katara asks, turning to Zuko. 

"You want us to not call Uncle Iroh Uncle?" Aang questions, an air of innocence to his voice. 

"He's not your uncle." Zuko tries to explain. 

"Zuko, we know, we just-" Sokka gets cut off by an explosion from Zuko. 

"He's MY uncle!" He grips his sleeves, "Stop trying to take what little family I have left!" 

"Woah." Toph says simply as Iroh folds his arms in front of himself, hoping his Nephew's friends would take the lead on this. 

"Zuko, we're not trying to take anything away from you." Aang explains, looking at his friends. 

Zuko looks up from his fiddling hands. 

"I think we all thought that we were trying to create a family, not take one away from you." Katara notes, watching Zuko's only functional eye widen. 

"Oh." 

"Oh is right buddy, next time you're thinking something, you should just tell us. Makes this a lot more easy." Sokka adds. 

Zuko nods as his family hugs him tight.


End file.
